The Lady and the Knight
by writerllofllworlds
Summary: Chat Noir is realizing that his friendship with Marinette may be a bit more than friendship, and she is doing the same. But, another realization, a secret that Marinette has been keeping leads Chat to distance himself. Will Chat still be her Knight in Shining Armor? Or will Marinette be the Lady that is forever waiting? Sorry, I'm bad at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

Adrien didn't exactly know when his friendship with Marinette began. Maybe it was the first time they met with him in his superhero persona and she had actually ended up saving the day. Or maybe it was when he fell off of a roof and onto her balcony, smushing her favorite tulips, resulting in a pitcher of water being dumped on his head. Or, maybe it was the time where he photobombed her selfie and gave her bunny ears.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't just one thing that led to the two teenagers becoming very closer. Maybe it was a lot of things.

And so, here he was, sitting on her balcony railing and watching as she danced to the music coming from her computer. He couldn't exactly hear it and he didn't really care what it was, as long as it kept her happy and dancing like a child. Sometimes she would trip and fall, and he would chuckle with her as she got back up.

Finally, after being entranced by her childlike game, he made the move to make himself known. After all, if he stayed here he would definitely be called a stalker.

By her.

Adrien chuckled as he tapped on the window. Marinette turned around, her expression not at all surprised at his face peering in from outside. On the contrary, she let out a full blown laugh, her head tilting backwards. Skipping over to where he was perched, she unlocked the window and opened it.

The first thing that hit him was the volume of the music. It swung out and killed the beautiful silence that he had been inhabiting. Caught of guard, Adrien blinked several times and his face morphed into one of slight disgust and pain.

Marinette let out another laugh, and suddenly all those nasty feelings were gone.

Her bright blue eyes met his, the edges crinkled up in a smile. "Hello, Chat Noir."

The way his name tumbled off her tongue made his mouth twitch. "Hello, Princess. May I enter your castle?"

She grinned. "But of course, my black knight."

"Was that supposed to be a Monty Python reference?"

Marinette chuckled. "Man, this is exactly why we're friends."

Adrien smirked, tapping his chin. "And the fact that you give me free chocolate."

"Well, yes, that too."

The pair fell into a laughing fit. It was just so natural, their friendship. It had kind of started off slow with nothing more than awkward comforting and uncomfortable hellos and goodbyes; but then it had skyrocketed and suddenly they were watching Netflix into the wee hours of the night and playing pranks on each other. He didn't fully know how it had happened, but he didn't really care. Because she was the one true person that he could confide in. Nino didn't come close. She didn't take none of his crap and put him in his place. But she was also kind and was always there.

"Oh, speaking of which!" Marinette managed through her giggles. "I have something for you!"

She walked over to her desk and grabbed a plate filled with some kind of sweet, it didn't really matter to Adrien. Everything from her parent's bakery was delicious. He sat down on the floor and she joined him, handing him the plate. "Here. I was just about to watch some Attack on Titan. Wanna join in?"

Adrien rolled his eyes. "And here I was thinking you knew me."

Marinette replied with a stuck out tongue and an eyeroll of her own before she switched on her computer. She returned and settled into his side, like she always did when they watched movies together and began to eat the wonderful treats in front of them.

The blonde haired boy smiled softly at the girl nestled next to him. Normally, between other people, this probably would have been either considered a very awkward situation or something couples would be doing. But for the two of them, it was neither of those options. They were best friends, that was it, and right now that's all he wanted. Marinette was amazing, and he couldn't have asked for anyone better to take up part of his heart.

Things like hugs, playful shoving, laughing at three in the morning, they were just normal things for them. Sometimes, Adrien would fall asleep at her house and he would awake hours later with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a not saying that Marinette had left because his transformation had worn off and that there was food on her desk if he was hungry.

She took care of him. She was his shoulder to cry on. She was his partner to laugh with. She was his friend to confide it. She was amazing, in and of herself, and he wouldn't have her any other way.

Adrien didn't even know that his eyelids were fluttering to a close until he heard Marinette whisper, "Goodnight, Alley Cat."

Marinette adjusted the blanket once more before standing up and picking up the plate on the floor. She moved the pillow under Chat's head and pushed some of his hair out of his face. Walking over to her desk, she took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. The red numbers read 5:49 am. She sighed, shaking her head as she grabbed her change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. After she had gotten into her outfit of the day, she sneaked downstairs and "stole" what was leftover from her parents's breakfast. Giving in to her perfectionism, she arranged it all nice-like on a silver plate and set it on the edge of her desk so that he would see it when he woke up.

She sat down in her desk chair, smiling gently at the adorable kitty before her as she pulled out her sketchbook. _She couldn't give up a chance like this_ , she thought, and proceeded to draw a quick doodle of his curled up body, covered in her fluffy red blanket, crumbs still dusting his mouth.

A beep sounded in the silent room, signaling his transformation. Marinette glanced at the clock once more and her shoulders slumped. She had better start to leave. Alya would kill her if she was late again.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder and stuffing the sketchbook inside the front pocket, she scribbled out a quick not and placed it on her desk. Glancing over her shoulder at the kitty nestled against her bed, she grinned.

She ascended the stairs as quietly as possible. She wished her parents a good day and walked out the door, inhaling the crisp morning air with delight. As she crossed the street, she smiled, casting one last look at her window.

He had always been there when she needed him, that cat. Whether it be for a laugh or a hug, he was always ready to supply her needs. It had started off as really annoying, but it had slowly morphed into something that she thought was endearing. His cheesy jokes and ridiculous puns always brightened her day; he was such a child. But, on the other side of that coin, he was also a very intelligent and percetive boy. He always noticed things and solved problems that others couldn't. He was truly brilliant.

And, just like every friend she had, he had taken over part of her heart.

Marinette giggled as she pulled out her phone and sent him a quick text, which he would recieve moments later upon his awakening. And Adrien would stare at it with a large grin and feel bubbles inside his chest.

Have a wonderful day, Chat. 3 ;)

First chapter! Hiyah Guys! This is not one of my oneshots! This is actually a short story about these two adorkable teens and their complicated love life! YAY! I'm not going to make it that long, but it's also not going to be extremely short. If you want to read more, leave a comment and/or a review. Thanks! Lots of hugs and kisses!


	2. Chapter 2

Adrien blinked slowly as he sat up. Shaking his head, he pushed the dizziness out of his mind and gathered his surroundings. The first thing he thought was pink, and when the shadows disappeared from the corners of his eyes he finally realized where he was.

Marinette's room.

He had fallen asleep last night, and, like always, she had covered him in a fluffy blanket and left him breakfast. Man, someday he would have to make this up to her.

Something buzzed at his side and he picked up the phone as he stood to his feet. A text notification appeared on the black screen and he couldn't keep the grin off his face.

 _Have a wonderful day, Chat. 3 ;)_

Something bubbled up inside his chest and his cheeks grew a shade brighter, sending her a quick reply. Smiling widely, he stuffed the device back into his pocket and began to fold up the blanket. Placing the ball of fluff on her bed, he walked over to her desk, the plate of bacon, eggs, and croissants greeting his grumbling stomach. Normally, something like this would have been good, but knowing that Marinette did it made it one-hundred-percent more meaningful.

Looking down at the note next to the plate, he carefully examined the way she wrote. Her beautiful handwriting was so familiar to him, but each time he found something new he loved about it, much like her. The way she curled the ends of her a's, the way she hearted her i's. Everything about her was so adorable.

But she was also brave, confident, and sassy beyond belief. She was so familiar to him and yet so mysterious. It was like he knew her from somewhere else as well as here, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Picking up the small note, he read it over once.

 _Hi, Kitty. I've got to go to school. Breakfast is on the desk. I hope you have a wonderful day._

 _Don't let the haters get you down. ;)_

 _-Marinette_

Adrien laughed and shook his head, sticking the paper in his pocket and pulling Plagg out of his jacket. "Come on, Plagg. We've got to get back before Père realizes I'm gone."

The kwami rolled his eyes but consented and Adrien left, a grin on his lips.

Chloe took it a step too far.

Adrien was sitting with Nino, Alya, and Marinette at one of the picnic tables outside the school eating lunch, enjoying each other's company when she popped out of nowhere. No one even heard her, and when they finally notices her presence, it was too late.

"CHLOE!" Marinette suddenly shouted and her three companions immediately jerked their heads her way. "GIVE IT BACK!"

Adrien tried focusing on what was in the blonde's hands as she kept backing out of Marinette's reach. It was a book of some kind and as she made a quick turn several papers fell out.

His eyes widened. It was Marinette's sketchbook.

"Chloe, give it back!" Alya stood and tried to grab the book but the blonde jerked it up, out of her reach.

Chloe snickered. "Aww, Marinette. Why can't I see?"

Marinette huffed, bottom lip jutting out. "If you had wanted to see it, Chloe, you should have asked!" She jumped, hand snagging the back cover and trying to pull it back into her possession. But Chloe's hold on it was stronger, and since she was taller, she had the upper hand. And soon, the tension on the sketchbook became too much. There was a terrible _hhccccsshh_ sound and Marinette gasped.

Adrien and Nino jumped to their feet and raced over to where Alya was stooping to pick up the fallen papers, but Marinette hadn't moved. He glanced up to see her staring at her half of the sketchbook with tears brimming in her eyes. Adrien's heart clenched and he stood.

"You've done your damage, Chloe." Marinette whispered, her voice frighteningly soft. "Just give me the rest of my sketchbook, please."

"Oh," the four friends looked back at the bully only to find her opening her water bottle and holding it over the cover. "What was that?"

"Chloe please!" Marinette's shoulders fell.

"Don't you dare!" Alya scowled. "I will punch you, Chloe, so help me."

"Ooops!" She tipped the container and the water spilled all over the cover, soaking into the papers underneath and ruining all of Marinette's designs. Beside him, Marinette choked back a sob and watched as Chloe finished off the water bottle, to the last drop before throwing the pile of soggy papers at her feet.

"That's for fourth grade, Freckle Face." Chloe sneered before walking past Adrien with a wink. His hands fisted at his side and he forced the protective creature in his chest to back down. He would take his anger out on the akuma later.

Marinette stooped down to pick up the mushy mess at her feet, her hands shaking. Alya and Nino crouched to help her, her best friend placing a hand on her shaking shoulder, her grip soft but firm. Adrien lowered to their level to see tears running down her face and his chest tightened in a painful way.

Marinette was the sweetest person he knew (no doubt she had gotten it from her parents) and she was always ready to be nice to others. She didn't deserve this. Chloe wasn't very nice to people, but she had always seemed to have a certain hatred for Marinette, and it had only increased when she and Adrien had started hanging out more.

But, also because of Adrien's influence, Marinette had become more patient and nice to Chloe. Don't get him wrong, she still stood up to her and told her off, but she did it in a way that was more teaching than rebuking. She would try and tell her that what she was doing was hurting other people and that she didn't have to be like that to be popular or get attention.

Marinette was trying to be better, and for that Chloe hated her even more.

And so here she sat, hand covering her mouth to block the small sobs that escaped her lips. Adrien's chest was almost screaming from the pain emitting from his heart. His Princess didn't deserve this. She was so much better than Chloe.

She was almost as amazing as his Lady.

Almost.

And, coming from him, that was a _really_ prestigious rating.

"Just for the record, I like your freckles." Adrien said quietly as he helped gather the few remaining sheets of paper, if you could call it that now.

Marinette laughed, wiping her eyes. "Thanks."

"I'm going to kill her." Alya seethed. "I'm going to punch her pretty little face and smear all her perfect makeup and break those stupid heels she wears. I'm gonna-."

"Alya." Her friend laid a hand on her arm. Alya glanced up, eyes bright and nostrils flaring. "Chloe isn't worth it."

She stared at Marinette with the same shocked expression as Adrien and Nino. What? "Mari, she literally just destroyed your sketchbook. The one thing that you cherish above almost everything else you own. All your designs from the past two years were all crammed in here and now they're all lost! Oh..."

Marinette had begun to cry again and her head fell, her entire body seeming to crumble as Alya described the situation. "Oh, Mari, I didn't mean to make you upset, I'm sorry."

"No, no." She swallowed and shook her head, meeting her friend's eyes. "I know. It wasn't your fault. Thanks for helping me guys." She took the soggy papers from their hands and placed them between the ripped covers. "And it's really okay."

There was a moment of silence where Adrien was trying to come up with a nice way to say that she was wrong and that this was not okay when she said it herself.

"No, no, it's not okay." She shook her head again. "But it will be. I will be. It's just a sketchbook." Her lips quivered and Adrien had the sudden urge to kiss all her pain away. His eyes widened and he felt his face heat up. Nope. Don't think like that. You are in love with _Ladybug_.

Nino bumped her shoulder. "Hey, how about we go get ice-cream. Free period is next and we don't have any studying to do right now. That's how we used to do it in Elementary School."

Marinette smiled at him, wiping away the rest of her tears. "Thanks Nino," she grinned. "That sounds great."

"Wait, you two knew each other in Elementary School?" Adrien asked, the warmth still in his cheeks.

"Yeah." Marinette smiled fondly at the DJ. "He used to be big prey of Chloe's."

"Not as big as you were." Nino argued. "But it's because you were the only person to stand up to her." he glanced at Adrien. "She's a fireball, let me tell you. You should have seen her. Actually, I have a video of when we were in 5th grade and she was having a showdown with little Miss Prissy Princess. Hold on, I have it somewhere here-."

Marinette stopped his hand from delving into his back. "Yeah, no. That's never seeing the light of day."

"Chloe went to your school?" Adrien met her gaze. She shrugged. The great thing about being friends was that Marinette didn't stutter around him anymore. They were comfortable around each other.

"I've known Chloe since 3rd grade." she said. "I've known this idiot since 1st." she jutted a finger to the black haired boy beside her.

"Hey!" Nino protested, but grinned anyway.

"I've always been the one she picks on the most." Marinette added.

"Because you're the only person that she can't hurt. She never gets under your skin. You're like Ladybug. Invincible." Alya winked.

For some reason, that caused Marinette to start laughing a disbelieving laugh. The trio stood there watching as her shoulders shook and she tilted her head back, her laugh bubbling and lifting into the air.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she finally managed through her diminishing giggles. "I'm sorry, but who told you _that_? HA! Gosh, I don't have enough fingers and toes to tell you the amount of times Chloe has gotten under my skin, and I know for a fact that I am _nothing_ like Ladybug." she snickered. "Pfft. Like Ladybug. You're funny."

Adrien tilted his head. She was right, of course, she wasn't Ladybug.

"Now come on!" She gingerly placed the soggy remains of her sketchbook into her backpack and threw the bag over her shoulder. "I was promised ice cream."

"You really are the happiest person I know." Alya mumbled, shaking her head with a smile.

"I still agree with Alya." Nino said, linking his arm through his girlfriend's. "You are like Ladybug."

Marinette rolled her eyes and glanced back at Adrien. "You coming?"

Adrien grinned, picking up his backpack. "Of course."

Her eyes gleamed and something very familiar shone from her blue irises. Curiosity spiked. Like Ladybug, eh?

He would have to look into that, wouldn't he?

 **Hiyah Guys! Sorry I haven't been on in a little while! School has been really stressful and time consuming lately and I haven't had much time to even sleep, so writing has been slow and a difficulty. But I'm on Spring Break, now, so hopefully I will have time to write some more! Thanks for being patient!**


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette was doomed.

She was so freaking doomed.

The young teen collapsed into her desk chair with her head in her hands, a dry sob escaping her throat. Alya sat next to her, arms around her shoulders, trying to find a way to channel all her anger into something productive (Marinette said that beating Chloe's face in wasn't productive. Alya disagreed).

Nino had called about an hour earlier to check and see if Marinette was alright after the sketchbook fiasco, and she was honored that he was willing to do so. They had been friends since Elementary School, but as of late he had become almost a good of friend as Alya. He was the stranger one of their quartet.

Adrien had put his arm around her before he had been pulled into his father's limo to head to his next photo shoot, which meant more than he would ever know. Ever since Alya and Nino had started dating, Adrien and herself had been hanging out much more than they would have otherwise, and therefore they got to know each other. While their two best friends were sucking each other's faces at the table two behind, they would play a game of 20 questions while tasting each other's smoothies. Or, while Alya and Nino held hands and walked ahead of them at some art museum, Marinette and Adrien would walk behind and discuss things like family stuff and school situations.

As they got to know each other, Marinette had stopped stumbling over every single word and noticed that he was a human just like her, and Adrien saw that she wasn't just the stuttering girl who could never talk to him. She was pretty amazing too.

He wasn't just a middle school crush. Sure, he was that, but he had also developed into one of her closest friends, and for that she was eternally grateful.

Not that that was giving her any help right now.

"I'm going to die." Marinette mumbled. "I'm going to shrivel up and die."

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna make Chloe shrivel up and die." Alya's voice dipped to a growl at the end of her sentence.

Marinette groaned. "I'm not worried about that right now." She whispered, tears threatening the edges of her vision.

"Then what is it?"

"Alya, what's today?"

"The 23rd… Holy shi-!"

"Watch your language." Marinette snapped, slapping her friend's shoulder despite the seriousness of the situation.

"Mari, I didn't even think about that! I completely forgot you had the meeting with Mr. Agreste tomorrow!" Alya's eyes were bigger than tea cup saucers. "Oh God…"

Her friend sighed heavily, shoulders slumping. "Yeah, tell me about it. I can't do it now. Not with this thing in a complete mess."

They both looked at the remains of the sketchbook that was scattered across her desktop. Some papers were still intact and Marinette had been treating them as if they were made of the Crown Jewels, but most of it was either soaking wet, unrecognizable, or both.

Wonderful.

Just great.

 _Someone kill me please_.

"Ayla, hand me that trash can; I think I'm going to be sick."

Her best friend rubbed her back comfortingly. "How about we sit down and watch some Disney? That always seems to cheer you up, right?"

The image of her and Chat watching Beauty and the Beast the week before flashed in her mind. What would Chat tell her to do? Let Chloe walk all over her and give up? No way.

A certain surety coursed through her and she grinned.

"Oh, what's that for?" Alya asked. "Have you finally decided to let me beat Chloe into a yellow and white pancake?"

"Yes." Marinette blinked. "I mean no. At least, not like that. We'll get back at her, don't you fret, but we have to fix this first."

"How?" She raised an eyebrow.

Marinette turned to smile at her. "Together."

"That's my girl."

"Booyah!" Chat yelled, throwing both hands into the air with a grin. Marinette, under the disguise of Ladybug, rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "You are such a child, Chat Noir."

"Hey, we just defeated an akuma. I believe that that deserves a booyah."

She laughed. "I suppose you're right."

"Aren't I always?"

"You know, usually I would lie to make you feel better, but no. No you aren't." she said playfully.

"Me-ouch!" he placed a hand over his heart, mocking pain. "You wound me, My Lady!"

"Not nearly as much as you do me, my dear Kitty."

"And what on earth do you mean by that?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Think about how it feels to have to put up with you every day."

"What's with the cat-attitude, Ladybug!" He stated dramatically. "My personality is amazing and only second to yours!"

"Oh, Chat," she laughed, shaking her head and reaching up to ruffle his hair. "You are really an idiot."

He leaned forward and smirked. "An idiot that you looooove." His nose scrunched up and his eyebrows furrowed before a look of delight enveloped his face. "You smell like chocolate. And," he took another sniff. "Pastries? Wow. Ladybug, can I get that made into a perfume?"

Marinette's anxiety ebbed slightly. "Very funny, Kitty."

Chat grinned, the type of grin that parents used when they looked at their kids. Love. Something in her heart warmed at the sight of it and a smile of her own slipped onto her lips. Lately, ever since Chat had become more-than-friends-but-less-that-couples with Marinette, she had stared returning his flirts, winking as she left, accepting when he kissed her hand and complimented her.

Because, if she was honest with herself, her feeling for Chat had grown. He wasn't just her annoying, reckless partner anymore. He was her friend and someone she could always rely on.

And if she was _really_ honest, he was a bit more than a friend.

"Chat?"

His ears perked up and the dazed look in his eyes disappeared. "Yes, My Lady?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything." He answered without hesitation.

She gave him a knowing smirk before seating herself at the edge of the building, feet hanging over the nothingness of the air. "And you have to answer seriously."

Chat bit his lip, fake worry creasing his brows. "I don't know, Ladybug. Could be difficult. But I will try."

"Thanks." Marinette looked away from him and out into the Parisian skyline. "Have you ever met someone, and you aren't really sure about them at first? Maybe they're a bit shy, or annoying, or maybe even a little mean, and you just don't know whether they're worth the time?"

His eyes and tone were as sincere as she had ever heard when he replied. "Yeah, yeah I have."

"But, but then you get to know them," Marinette said, her shoulders shrugging. "And you realize that maybe, maybe there's more to them? More than just the shyness, or annoyance, or rudeness? More than what you see at the first glance? And you start hanging out and you start noticing that you aren't uncomfortable around them anymore. You start smiling more often when they're around. You start laughing longer and feeling like you're cherished. And suddenly, they aren't just someone you know; they've become your friend. And then you are together almost every other day and you're watching cheesy movies and laughing at the other's terrible baking skills-." She bit her lip, praying she hadn't said too much, but Chat didn't seem to catch her slip up, so she continued. "And you tell each other jokes. But you also talk about deeper things like how you feel. Your insecurities, the things that you love. The things you love about them. And suddenly you aren't just friends, you're best friends. And, and maybe you start having these feelings towards them that you don't know what to do with. But you know for a fact that they are no longer _just_ your best friend."

She met his eyes. "And maybe you don't want them to be _just_ that."

Chat stared at her, taking a bit too long to answer. He seemed not only to be thinking over everything that she had said, but also looking at her. Her face, her eyes, her nose, her lips, her hair. Like he was trying to fit together pieces of his mind puzzle.

Marinette glanced away and Chat cleared his throat.

"Yeah, yeah, I suppose I've felt that. I know this girl that used to drive me up the walls. But, after everything we've been through, I know she's much more than a friend."

She glanced over at him, and to her surprise, he wasn't looking at her anymore. He too, had been staring out over their beloved city, his eyes glazed and a soft smile on his eyes.

He looked happy. Truly happy.

"Well, maybe we both need to tell them." She whispered.

Chat met her gaze and grinned. "Maybe we should."

They departed, and as Marinette entered her room that night, she thought over what Chat had said, the way he had looked at her. Sure, she didn't really know who he had been talking about, but part of her wished that he had been talking about _her_. That the dreamy smile on his face had been caused by _her_. That _she_ could make his eyes light up like that.

 _Don't be ridiculous_ , she thought.

Little did she know, that a hop, skip, and a car drive away, Adrien was laying in his bed, marveling over the way she had spoken, the way her eyes had sparkled, the smile that had taken over her lips. And he too, hoped that she had been talking about _him_. He hoped that _he_ was the person she was talking about, the one she thought was more than just a friend.

And, as he sat there, he compared Marinette and Ladybug and thought about all the similarities between them, and the gears in his mind started moving.

 **MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien was going to kill Chloe.

He hadn't visited Marinette after his photoshoot yesterday because of his lack of time, but he planned on taking at least three hours after school that day to make sure she was in perfect emotional health and that she wasn't beating herself up over it.

Yes, yes, that sounded like a good plan.

But it seemed that he would have to make it through several hours of agonizingly long torture until then.

As soon as he walked in that day, he realized immediately that Marinette looked happy. Tired, perhaps, but still happy. The concern in his heart ebbed slightly and he grinned as she met his eyes.

She chuckled, shaking her head as he sat down. "I know; I look like a wreck."

"Nah," He said. "You look fine."

"You mean awesome." Alya scoffed. "This girl's freaking boss. Never before have I seen anyone work so hard in my life, and I live with me."

The girl's exchanged a fist bump.

Adrien smiled. "What was the hard work for, Marinette?"

"Oh, I was salvaging what was left of this." She pulled out a book from her bag and set it on her desk. Adrien's eyes widened as he realized what it was. It was her sketchbook, but it didn't look anything like it had the day before. Sure, he could see that some of the papers were crusted at the ends and floppy, and yeah, the covers were a bit wobbly, but otherwise it looked fine.

"Wow, Marinette. You've got some mad skills." Nino smirked with adoration. "Is it ready for your interview this afternoon?"

She shrugged. "I hope so."

"Oh, stop. Everything in there is as good as anything Gabriel Agreste has designed." Alya slapped her shoulder playfully. "You'll be fine."

"Ha ha. Very funny, Alya." The other girl said, rolling her eyes. "Nothing I've made comes close to Mr. Agreste's stuff. I mean, have you seen the last issue of Fashion of Paris? Phew."

Adrien was very confused. His eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head. "Sorry, but what are you guys talking about?"

Marinette had suddenly gone very red and Alya was grinning, exchanging a knowing glance with Nino before turning to Adrien. "Miss Fashionista over here has a job interview with your Paps."

His eyes got very wide and he turned to the dark haired girl. "Really?!"

She nodded, cheeks burning. "Yeah."

"Mari, that's amazing!" Adrien grin was so large it was hurting his cheeks. "You'll do great! I've seen your stuff and Père will absolutely love it!"

Marinette's blush died down an inch and her eyes grew hopeful. "You think?"

"Correction," Adrien held up a finger. "I know."

She bit her lip with excitement and something inside his chest purred. She really was the cutest thing he had ever seen. And the gleam in her eyes and the way she bit her lips was really familiar.

Too familiar.

Adrien narrowed his eyes and stared at her face for another good minute before Nino cleared his throat. "Dude, you've gone into stalker mode again."

He blinked, embarrassed smile slipping onto his lips. "Oh! Sorry."

Alya smirked. "Dude, you have no reason to apologize. I mean, the number of times that Marinette did that to-."

"ACK!" Marinette clamped her hands over her friend's mouth, her eyes wider than UFO's. Her cheeks had officially reached flaming mode and she was staring at Alya with a look that Adrien hoped he never had to face from her. It was almost as if she was trying to bore a hole through Alya's skull. The look wasn't even aimed at him and he had shivers going down his spine.

That look, Marinette's eyes… they were so similar to Ladybug's. Too similar.

The teacher entered the classroom and Adrien turned back around to face the front of the room, his head spinning with the clues he had. And they all pointed to Marinette.

It was an understatement to say that Marinette was nervous.

It was an understatement to say that Marinette was scared.

It might have even been an understatement to say that Marinette was terrified.

And as the black limo rolled up to the school, she had to make the decision _not_ to make a break for the bakery. After all, she had come this far. There was no turning back now.

Right?

Not true. She could still run. There was still that option.

"Hey," a voice said from behind her. "Calm down. You'll do fine."

Marinette turned her head slightly to meet Adrien's smile. "Tell that to the thing in my chest. I think I'm gonna go into cardiac arrest."

"Mari," something in the way he said her name… it was so familiar. "You're going to do great. Pere will love you."

She grinned timidly. "You sure?"

"Positive."

Marinette's growing confidence stabilized as Adrien stepped into the limo and extended his hand. Taking her shaking fingers into his own, he pulled her into the seat next to him. She yelped but didn't disagree when he kept her hand in his grasp. Something about his warm touch calmed her nerves and she breathed out a sigh.

You know who else could calm her with a single touch?

Her Kitty Cat.

Marinette shook her head. She could think about Chat later. She had to focus.

"This is Natalie. She's my father's assistant." Adrien said, gesturing to the dark haired woman sitting in the front seat. "And that's Gorilla. He's my chauffer. Natalie, Gorilla, this is Marinette."

"Hello, Mrs. Dupen-Cheng." Natalie said, her mouth in a firm line, but there was a warm glint in her eyes that Marinette tried to hold on to.

"Hello, Miss Natalie. Thank you for setting this up. It really is an honor."

The woman's lips twitched at the edges. Score! "Oh, my dear, it was all Mr. Agreste. Adrien speaks very highly of you and your artistic ability. It is them that you should be thanking."

Marinette's eyes widened and she turned to her friend. " _You_ talked to your _dad_ about _me_?"

"Of course." Adrien shrugged. "You like fashion and you've got talent. My dad's one of the most famous fashion designers in Paris. I started to mention you and he grew more and more interested. He's very keen to meet you."

She grinned. "Thank you. For everything."

He smiled back, his grin crooked. That wasn't a look he usually wore, but it was very familiar to her, but also foreign. Like being seen through a fog. She could see it, but it was misty and she couldn't fit it perfectly.

They pulled up at the Agreste Mansion and Adrien helped her out like the gentleman he was and the fear returned with full force. As soon as they entered the gigantic house, goosebumps were dotting her skin and she was sweating. Her heart started beating like it was in a rock band and her knees went weak.

"Hey," Adrien put a hand to her shoulder and that calm feeling washed over her again. "Just be yourself. He'll love you."

It looked like was going to say something else but thought better of it and instead squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"Right this way, Miss Dupen-Cheng." Natalie steered her away from Adrien and down the hall to their right. Right before they entered a room, she glanced over her shoulder to see Adrien giving her a big thumbs up.

Marinette blushed and smiled, mouthing a quick thank you.

She turned back around, so she didn't see Adrien's large grin, the pride in his eyes. The way he shook his head fondly and placed his hand on his hip as she disappeared into his father's studio. She didn't hear his heart beating as fast as a train or see the gears moving quickly in his brain.

He had wanted to say something earlier.

 _Just be yourself. He'll love you._

 _Just like I do._


	5. Chapter 5

Gabriel Agreste did not expect to like her.

He did not even expect her to have talent.

But, his expectations didn't seem to have a say in this matter.

Marinette was not only amazingly talented (she would no doubt be able to rival him some day), but she also had the sweetest disposition. Her smile was contagious and at least four times in their conversation, Gabriel found himself forcing a chuckle back down his throat. He was professional. He didn't laugh in front of future interns.

Marinette tried to be professional. But, it was easy to say that the girl was far too genuine for her own good.

As soon as she stepped into the room, a certain light had come in with her. Maybe it was her smile or her chocolaty voice, but Gabriel felt happier than he had been in a long time. Sure, Adrien had a certain vibe about him too, but Marinette was much brighter than his son. She entered with a timid smile and a soft voice, but as soon as they started flipping through her sketchbook, her face lit up and her volume tripled. Her grin took over her face and she seemed to become more excited with each page.

Gabriel didn't expect to like her.

Did he mind that he did?

No. Not one bit.

He instantly understood why Adrien liked her. She was sweet and her smile matched his wife's in brilliance and serenity. Her voice was both calm and ecstatic at the same time. Her eyes were alive with life and she carried herself with both pride and humility.

And her laugh was like a bag of bubbles and kittens.

In a word, it was adorable.

And her talent… man, he hadn't seen this much talent in someone her age since, well, forever. Never before had Gabriel seen someone who had so much skill and a perfect eye for detail that was younger than 25, but here she was, a 16-year-old sophomore who would no doubt be able to outdo him some day.

Eventually, about three-fourths through Marinette's sketchbook, they were talking as if they had known each other for years, not as if they had only met two hours before. They were talking not only about fashion, but teenager problems, academic struggles, the fashion of America (dear Lord they needed to get their act together), and a bunch of other topics.

And Gabriel found that his smile was slipping out much more often than it ever did with anyone else.

"I mean, life as a sophomore must not be that hard compared to the life of adults, but man when it gets past Christmas, the teachers seem to decide that you no longer need your social life and start giving you four hours' worth of homework." The dark haired girl was saying as he walked her around his studio, showing her various projects that he was working on. "And then they complain about _us_ falling asleep in class when it's really their fault."

"I do agree; it doesn't necessarily get any easier." Gabriel nodded. "But in the moment, being a sophomore is about as hard as being a world renown fashion designer."

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow and a curious smile worked its way onto her lips. Yep, he was really starting to see why Adrien liked her.

He nodded, hands clasped behind his back. "Because you are only 16 years old, the amount of stress and work is too much to handle. You can compare it to an adult's stress and work because they can handle more than you. And I can relate to the terrible torture of high school. I was a student once too."

Marinette shrugged, a crooked grin appearing. "Yeah, well, were you a super clumsy, really forgetful student who has a terrible sleep schedule?"

Gabriel didn't even want to contain his chuckle this time. "No, no I wasn't."

"There you go then. It's worse when you trip over your pajama pants, slip on the bathroom floor and fall down the stairs, and all before you've eaten breakfast."

Another chuckle escaped his mouth, louder this time, and Natalie's head jerked up, her eyes wide. It had been a few years since she had heard anything like that come from Gabriel, and it came as quite the surprise.

"You laugh now, but it really isn't funny. Makes you late for school and you have to ask for notes from your irresponsible best friend who is too preoccupied with trying to flirt with the boy sitting in front of her. Ugh."

The genuine tone in her voice was so strong Gabriel had no choice but to believe her. And who could fake being so clumsy?

"And then there's the mistakes I make when talking to people." Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose. "I mean, have you ever talked to someone you like, but it isn't really talking; you're basically just stuttering and choking on your words and then you trip over your shoelaces and make a complete fool of yourself and mess up your research paper that you worked three hours on." She leaned her head back and whimpered. "I'm trip over something and impale my head in a nail and die at the age of 20, I swear."

This time, a full blown laugh echoed around the vast room, causing Natalie to almost have a heart attack. Gabriel coughed several times, covering his mouth as chuckles bubbled up from his throat. Marinette glanced at him and began laughing too, her shoulders shaking.

"Okay, okay, it _is_ pretty funny, isn't it?"

"Trust me, dear, I'm not laughing at you."

"Oh, no, please. The more the merrier."

They were both overcome by the giggles again and Gabriel had to force himself not to start snorting. Marinette, on the other hand, had no problem with letting all her various giggles, snickers, and snorts bounce off the walls and surround them.

Gabriel grinned, his cheeks hurting. He hadn't been this happy and carefree in years, and he loved it.

"So, Miss Marinette," she raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "What do you think of an internship at Agreste Fashions?"

Her eyes grew four times wider and her mouth fell open. "Are-are you serious?"

"Very serious, almost as serious as your case of clumsiness."

Marinette giggled, her hair bobbing up and down with her nodding head. "Um, yes. Yes, I'd love that."

Gabriel believed that he would love it too.

 ** _Le skip…_**

Adrien paced the length of his room for the 78th time. It all pointed to Marinette, and by this time he was almost sure that she was Ladybug. She had to be. The smile, the laugh, the voice, the eyes, the body, the bravery and the courage. How could he have been so thick?

But he wasn't 100% sure yet.

Yet.

"Plagg, we need to go visit Mari."

"Oh, yeah, Romeo going to visit the balcony of his short Juliet." The kwami rolled his eyes and stuffed the last bit of camembert into his mouth before complying to his master's wish.

Adrien raced across the roofs of Paris, his mind a jungle in and of itself. He had never been so confused in all his life. He had been hanging around Marinette for a year now, how could he have not seen it? They were so freaking similar.

He needed to give her a lesson on protecting her secret identity.

He suddenly skidded to a stop.

Ladybug didn't want them to know each other's identities. She distinctly told him that. She said it would be safer if they didn't know. He had disagreed, but right now, he was going against his Lady's wishes entirely.

He shook the guilt off. He had to know.

He jumped down onto Marinette's balcony without a sound and peered in through her window, looking for anything.

He didn't have to look long.

It was zooming around Marinette's head like an airplane. A small, red, polka-dotted airplane.

Her kwami.

Marinette had a kwami.

It hit him harder than he thought it would.

Marinette was Ladybug. Marinette was _Ladybug_. The girl he had been in love with for years now was the girl who had been sitting behind him in class. The quiet, sweet, silently brave Marinette was also the outgoing, courageous superhero who saved Paris on a daily basis.

Adrien shook his head. No, no,no, This wasn't happening right now.

He backed up slowly, his head still shaking. He needed to leave. Right now.

"Chat?"

He glanced over to the window, which was now open and had Marinette's head stuck out of it. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "I was wondering when you were going to drop by. Is everything okay?"

"I-I-I have to go."

And he turned around and ran as fast as he could, ignoring her shout of question and made a break for his house.

Stumbling in through his window, he released the transformation and sat down on his bed, holding his head in his hands.

"Oh, come on now, chap," Plagg said, grabbing a piece of cheese. "I know it's a bit of a shock, but you'll get over it soon enough. It's... Adrien?"

Adrien didn't notice that there were tears streaming down his cheek until the kwami fluttered over and wiped one away. "S-sorry Plagg."

"Now what on earth is this about?"

"It's just that… Marinette is Ladybug."

"Yes…?"

"They're both strong and smart and beautiful and brave. They're amazing, and I… I'm not."

Plagg's smile slid right off his face. "W-what? Adrien, you are just as strong and smart and brave as Ladybug, and Marinette for that matter."

Adrien narrowed his eyes at the creature, bitterness leaking into his tone. "Are you kidding me? I've never been as brave as Ladybug! I've never been as smart as her or as quick-witted. I've never been able to stand up to Chloe and I definitely don't have her creative mind! Plagg, I'm nothing like them."

The black kwami huffed. "And why do you say that?"

"Look at me, Plagg! I'm nothing more than an insecure boy dressing up like he's better than everyone else. I don't save the day, Plagg. That's Ladybug's job." Adrien's eyes became misty again. "All I do is get in the way. I bet she only puts up with me because she's got to. I'm her partner in the job and her classmate. She can't avoid me."

"Oh, stop this nonsense!" Plagg shouted suddenly, catching Adrien off guard. "You are being ridiculous. You are just as amazing as your partner and don't you dare disagree with me, young man! I've been doing this jig for more than 4000 years so you can shut up and listen! Maybe Chat Noir isn't the day-saver, but he _is_ the one to save the day-saver. You save Ladybug all the time. She wouldn't survive without you."

Adrien scoffed. "I'm not good enough for her, Plagg, I don't deserve her. She deserves so much more than me. I mean, what am I? A second-hand pretty boy trying to play hero."

That night, Adrien went to sleep with tear stains on his cheeks and a heavy heart.

Marinette didn't sleep. She stayed up all night waiting for her silly cat to return, but he never did.

 **Hi, guys! Sorry it took a little longer. School has started back up and I am kind of overwhelmed by work, not to mention the drama of being in highschool. I'm really struggling with emotional stuff right now, so pardon my slow progress with this story.**

 **And yes, Gabriel kind of thinks Marinette is adorable. Sue me.**


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette was trying to have a good day, she really was. First, her and Alya had gone through with their plan of revenge on Chloe. Let's say it involved a hairdryer, purple paint, and a cat and leave it at that. That was the only highlight of her day. From then on, it only grew worse and worse.

First, Adrien had suddenly begun to treat her as some sort of "acquaintance" instead of the friend that she had become.

Then, Chloe had sworn, yet again, to get back at her for what she'd done. But this time, there was a certain sincerity to her voice, as if she really did mean it.

And to top it all off, she had gotten into an akuma fight.

And Chat hadn't shown up.

Yep.

The cat had abandoned her.

She slipped through her window silently, cursing as she landed on the floor, pain flying through her back. Word of advice: unless you're freaking Batman, don't fight an akuma without backup. It's not easy. And you will probably end up with several injuries. From what Marinette could tell, she had two wounds on her arm, one on her knee, a black eye and a massive bruise forming on her back.

Lovely.

Exactly what she needed right now.

Her transformation disappeared and immediately the pain hit harder once Tiki wasn't absorbing some of it. The teenager clutched the desk for support and stumbled her way into the bathroom.

"That was risky, Marinette." The kwami said in her concerned tone. "You could have gotten much worse than a couple cuts and bruises. Ladybug isn't supposed to fight alone, you know that."

"Yeah," she pulled her shirt over her head and threw it onto her bed, noticing the blood stain on her sleeve. She would have to fix that. "Well, my partner seemed to have taken a day off."

Marinette turned around to glance at her back in the mirror, and what she saw made her cringe. A huge black and blue blob was indeed forming right over her spine. And by huge, I mean bigger than a dinner plate. She couldn't do anything about it though. A bruise was a bruise; she couldn't fix that.

But her other injuries were another matter.

"That's pretty nasty, Marinette." Tikki said, concern still evident in her voice. "You sure you don't want to get it looked at?"

"I'm sure Tikki. I'll be fine. Chat Noir on the other hand…"

Shaking her head, she applied pressure to the cut running down her arm and let out a low his. Even if she was a little irritated, she couldn't be mad at Chat. He surely had a reason and she had taken the villain down. True, she had gotten hurt much worse than usual, but evil was gone for the day, leaving her with an evening of homework and relentless thoughts.

Slipping into a tank top and pajama pants, she collapsed into her desk chair with a great huff. Glancing at her backpack, she sighed heavily. School was a jerk.

She was halfway through her history homework when her phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a text notification. Marinette glanced over and her cheeks warmed up a notch or two. It was from Adrien.

 _Sorry about my distance, today. I'm going through some stuff_.

Well, at least someone was explaining things to her.

Marinette couldn't keep the smile off her face as she immediately texted back. _No problem. I get how it is. You wanna talk about it_?

Almost instant reply, sending the girl into a mess of giggles. _Actually, I wanted to ask you something_.

Curiosity spiked. _Yeah_?

 _Would you want to hang out sometime_?

Marinette chuckled, quickly typing back. _Adrien, we hang out all the time_.

 _I meant, like, just the two of us_.

Was he saying what she hoped he was saying? _You mean, like a date_?

 _Yeah. A date_.

Marinette's heart rate sped up by at least three thousand beats and her face became very, very hot. Was this real? Was Adrien Agreste actually asking her out on a date? She looked back down at her phone and re-read it. Yep. This was really happening.

She squealed. _I would love to go on a date with you, Adrien_.

 _You have anything planned tomorrow evening_?

This was a dream. A fantastic, unreal, wonderful dream. _Nope_. _I'm free_.

 _Can you meet me at the coffee place that's just around the block from school around 8:00_?

Marinette had died and gone to heaven. She was officially dead. Gone. Poof. _Yeah, I think I can manage that ;)_.

 _Cool! See you then_!

"EEEEEEEEEK!" Marinette slid down in her chair and buried her face in her hands, cheeks exploding with heat. Beside her, Tiki shook her head and giggled.

"Well, looks like things are looking up for you after all, Marinette." The small creature said.

Her blush deepened. "Yeah. He asked me out, Tiki. _Adrien Agreste_ asked _me_ out. Me! Oh my gosh, this is a dream come true! Oh, I have to tell Alya!" Her fingers were flying across her phone in seconds. "Alya?"

"Sup girl! What's up?"

"You'll never believe what just happened."

"Really? What?"

"I was just asked out."

Marinette could almost hear the smirk in her best friend's voice. "Oh? By who?"

"Adrien."

 ** _Le skip again_** …

"Chloe, what the heck are you doing with my phone?"

Adrien was not in the mood for this. Today was not his best day and he did not need Miss Princess making it worse.

Chloe blinked, giving him a sickly sick smile. "Oh, nothing, Adrikins. Just looking."

"Yeah, well, you can stop looking and give it back now, thanks. My ride's here."

She gave it back all to willingly, setting Adrien on edge. What did she do?

When he arrived back at his house, Adrien fell onto his bed, exhaustion taking over his body before he could protest. He sighed, flipping on his computer. Immediately, a notification from the Ladyblog appeared on his screen and he clicked on it, eyebrows furrowing in concern.

When he read the title of Alya's newest article, his heart dropped.

 **Ladybug Alone**?

The words cut through him like a knife. As he skimmed the article, his guilt only multiplied. She had fought an akuma on her own. She had succeeded of course, but at what cost?

There was a video of the fight and as Alya commented at the scene, Adrien's concern grew steadily. Ladybug was a brilliant fighter. Smart, witty, strong, brave; the perfect hero.

But she wasn't invincible. That much was clear.

Because man, she got hit. Bad.

When the fight ended and Alya got a good shot on the heroine, Adrien's heart was lead. He could spot blood beginning to seep through her suit at the arm and she was cringing. Her walk was unsteady and she looked like she was about to throw up. Waving away the reporters and cameras, she quickly exited, disappearing behind the chimneys of Paris.

The video ended, leaving Adrien with so much guilt he could probably fill a lake with it.

He thought that it was better this way. He couldn't get it the way. He couldn't mess her up. He couldn't be an inconvenience.

But she had gotten hurt.

Ladybug was hurt, and it was his fault.

It was his fault!

He blinked the tears out of his eyes.

"You had better not be blaming yourself."

Adrien glared at Plagg, gesturing at the computer screen. "Are you kidding me? I'm supposed to be her partner! We are partners and when she needed me I wasn't there! Plagg, she's hurt because of me!"

The kwami rolled his eyes. "Calm down. Marinette can patch herself up just fine."

Adrien's eyes widened and his heart constricted in a very painful way. The two-day old revelation that Marinette was Ladybug still had to sink in.

Marinette was hurt because of him.

One of his best friends was in pain because of his stupidity.

Adrien fell to his knees, head in his hands. "Oh, Plagg, what have I done?"

"Oh, get over yourself! So you made a mistake! She'll be fine!"

The young boy felt anger course through his veins and suddenly his temper flared. He turned to the small creature, eyes flaming. "How can you say that? It's not like you understand what I'm feeling!"

Plagg's look of _oh my gosh, this kid is an idiot_ disappeared in a flash. It was replaced by a guarded, cold stare. "Watch what you say, Adrien. You might find out that I understand much more than you think."

"Are you kidding? I LOVE her! And she got hurt because of me! It could have been worse-!"

"But it wasn't!" Plagg seethed, eyes suddenly misting over. "It wasn't worse. You don't get it, do you kid? I understand more than you ever will because I have seen worse. I _have_ seen Ladybug bloody and broken. Hell, I have watched her die." The creature narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with venom. "You know _nothing_."

Adrien's anger dissipated and he hanged his head. "I-I'm sorry Plagg; I wasn't thinking. Please forgive me. Of course you understand. I-I just… I don't know what I would do without her. I can't lose her, Plagg."

His voice was pleading, even he could hear it.

The kwami sighed, his fury also fading. "I know, kid, but you didn't. She's going to be alright, just like you. Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay."

But as Adrien glanced up again at the article, he realized that Plagg was wrong. This was his fault, and everything was definitely not okay.

 **Sorry for the wait guys! Like I said before, school is being a little jerk and I'm barely getting decent sleep, let alone time to work on things like this. If you liked it, please don't forget to leave a review! We authors need it!**


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